After owning 3 Audi's and dealing with the super, over friendly staff of service men and parts dept., who has every part you'll ever need right down to a 10 dollar light socket and even going as far as to show how to do things to your car so you don't have to pay them and bending over backwards to make sure your back on the road as fast as possible I was in for a rude awakening when I decided to buy my first GMC.

Not only does the staff not care to your every concern, not carry any small parts (need a $2.00 bulb holder to your 3rd brake light, well that's gonna set you back $70 cuz your gonna have to buy the whole light ) but they also don't want to help or show you anything, so your forced to come to them for every problem. Well, after losing my only key to my truck and not having my title handy (with Audi, you just bring in your Drivers License and vin ) I was treated like an endangered servant. Not only would they not help me but they acted like I stole the truck. You know what I thought , exactly!!

So I decided to take the whole igntion out to get my key code for a locksmith to make me a new key, which GMC would never want you to know how to do. In fact, they even went as far as telling me that I would have to remove the whole steering column.

I call Bullshit!! So for everyone out there that has had the same problem as me, here is a step by step guide to removing your ignition key cylinder on a 99-02 sierra to get your key code to get a new key made if you lose your only one and don't have the reqiured necessities for the far from helpful parts dept. staff at GMC or simply to change it or work on it.

*************************IMPORTANT********************************I hold no responsibility for you and yours if you f*@k up something on your truck. This is to be done at your own risk. This is simply a guide to help you remove the cylinder on a 99-02 and possibly later or earlier Chevy or GMC. These pictures are from a 2000 GMC Sierra 1500.******************************************************************

Step 4: After removing this cover, the next thing you want to do is remove the top cover. To do so simply push back, releasing it from behind the steering wheel and pull up and out, like so.http://i142.photobuc...ydude/STEP7.jpg

Step 7: !IMPORTANT! If you have your key and you just want to change the key cylinder because of whatever reason, all your gonna do from here is turn the key to the on position and skip to step 8 and your done. If not then read on.

Now the next thing we want to do is remove the black plastic keyhole cover. Now this part can be kinda tricky because you need to pry it off, as it snaps on to the cylinder. I used a flat head screwdriver and pryed gently for about 4 or 5 minutes until I got it off.Once it is off your gonna use use pliers to grab the cylinder and get it to turn, but to accomplish this your also gonna have to use a pry pin. (see photos) It is shaped like the letter L and when you slide it in under the lock and pull it to the right or left it applies pressure to the lock and pushes it up so you can then take the pliers while pushing it up, and spin the cylinder with the pliers to get it into the on position. It's the only way to remove the cylinder (it has to be in the on position). Make sure you use a lock picking kit to push all the tumblers down flat first before the pry and turn trick.http://i142.photobuc...de/STEP10-1.jpghttp://i142.photobuc...LOCKPUSHING.jpghttp://i142.photobuc...vydude/LOCK.jpghttp://i142.photobuc...de/DSC00811.jpg

Step 8: once the lock has been succesfully turned to the on position, your going to use a small flat head screwdriver and insert it into this hole and push down the hinge that is right above the numbers 3092 in the above photo. While pushing this down, grab and pull out the cylinder with pliers at the same time to get the cylinder out.http://i142.photobuc...ydude/STEP9.jpg

CONGRATULATIONS! You've done it. This is exactly the procedure that would be performed by a locksmith if you lost your only key and did not have the code (for a price of $100 to $200 dollars depending on where you live), for them to make you a new key. Once the cylinder is out, you can get the code off it and get a new key made by any locksmith that does auto keys and slide it back in and off you go, even if you don't have your title or all 500 things that GMC wants to make a key copy (and believe me, they will let your child die on the side of a road before giving you the key code to cut a new key to go save their life, if you don't have very thing they want).

It's definitely a good idea to write down the code just in case you ever lose your key again as this is the only way to get a new one cut. If your replacing the cylinder your just gonna slide the new cylinder back in until it locks in place and walk all the steps backwards to get your truck back together. If you just need the code, get it off the cylinder and then slide it back in place as well and repeat all the steps backwards to get your column back together.

Cheers, Travis

Note: After fnishing this with all photos on the board, GM said I had to many photos and couldn't post. Why have a forum site if you can't even post more than 14 photos. Just another reason why imports will always blow domestics away (unlimited pics on Audi forums ).

strange, i can change the cyl in a h2 in less that 15min. trade your truck in on a toyota and maybe then youll be happy

Why would I be happy then? And what does your H2 have anything to do with me being happy. Why buy a toyota? Do they have a friendlier staff? I wasn't unhappy because I had to change the ignition.

Hopefully you were smart enough to get two keys made this time.

I bought it used, it only came with one and have only had it a 2 weeks and my wife lost the key and the title has not returned back in my name yet. I'm not whining about anything, I'm just saying that working with Gm people suck and they don't even try to be helpful and trying to limit items you sell to whole pieces instead of breaking them down, shows that 1: That you really need the money and 2: That your lazy, unlike Audi or BMW or Mercedes, which I have owned all and all have been great experiences. That's why you don't see a ton of Import car commercials.

They don't have to battle each other all the time like Ford, Chevy, and Dodge. Those guys spend so much money on trying to be number one, that they don't have enough money to take care of their customers, hince why you have to pay 70 dollars for a light bulb socket that's the size of a dime. Audi's sell on average for $20,000 up to $60,000 more and blow domestics away on looks, power, performance and devoted followers will buy them forever. You get red carpet treatment, beautiful supple leather and the best interior, chrome and wood grain you can lay your eyes on and I'f your car is like my RS-6 then an additional 550HP ass stompin power to lay waste to America's plastic, disposable cars. It's really not a big deal, American made cars and service is just like the fast food industry for automobiles but then again the service you get at McDonald's is nothing like the service you get at McCormick and Schmick's. Luckily it's just my work truck.

I'm just saying that working with Gm people suck and they don't even try to be helpful and trying to limit items you sell to whole pieces instead of breaking them down, shows that 1: That you really need the money and 2: That your lazy, unlike Audi or BMW or Mercedes, which I have owned all and all have been great experiences. That's why you don't see a ton of Import car commercials.

They don't have to battle each other all the time like Ford, Chevy, and Dodge. Those guys spend so much money on trying to be number one, that they don't have enough money to take care of their customers, hince why you have to pay 70 dollars for a light bulb socket that's the size of a dime. Audi's sell on average for $20,000 up to $60,000 more and blow domestics away on looks, power, performance and devoted followers will buy them forever. You get red carpet treatment, beautiful supple leather and the best interior, chrome and wood grain you can lay your eyes on and I'f your car is like my RS-6 then an additional 550HP ass stompin power to lay waste to America's plastic, disposable cars. It's really not a big deal, American made cars and service is just like the fast food industry for automobiles but then again the service you get at McDonald's is nothing like the service you get at McCormick and Schmick's. Luckily it's just my work truck.

Are you comparing a BMW to a cobalt? You can go buy a cadillac and wont complain one bit about looks inside or out, or performance. And as for cost of fixing, i have never, ever heard anyone say that it is even close in price to fix a bmw, audi, mercedes. and is that 20k-60k more really worth it?

As for your dealer experience, thats what it is. You have a crappy dealer apparently. My local dealer treats me well and has parts guys and a service manager that are always happy to help me out. Now i was at a larger dealer in a much larger city a couple weeks ago, and that parts guy didnt know s#$%, took forever to find something in his computer, and it turns out was looking at the part of some car, not the truck i told him i wanted it for.

My experience with Audi is that they have all parts because all parts on those cars break.

Ken

Actually your dead wrong, genius. Domestic's are disposible at 100,000 or at least they should be since they're not worth anything after that. My RS-6 has 180'000 miles on it, looks and feels like brand new and has only needed a couple of cv boots. Those cars are indestructible as far the level of the properties of the metals used to make the parts. The last time I replaced my cv boots, they were knocking so I thought I might need new axles. The audi tech told me that they've had cars drive 10,000 miles with the cv axles knocking and all they do is slap grease on em and a new boot and off you go. You pay more in the front end for these types of cars because they last 200 to 300,000 miles longer than domestics and that's been a proven fact time and time again. My car is still worth $40,000 with that high of miles on it, show me any GM car that's mass produced that would book out the same for a 2003. The ONLY reason Audi carries so many parts, (even though alot are special order from Germany, you get 'em in 3 days at no extra charge ) is for customer satisfaction. They innovate, GM competes, and they're only looking out for one person as a whole, them .

Walt Disney said it best: " When you innovate, you dont have to compete."

I'm just saying that working with Gm people suck and they don't even try to be helpful and trying to limit items you sell to whole pieces instead of breaking them down, shows that 1: That you really need the money and 2: That your lazy, unlike Audi or BMW or Mercedes, which I have owned all and all have been great experiences. That's why you don't see a ton of Import car commercials.

They don't have to battle each other all the time like Ford, Chevy, and Dodge. Those guys spend so much money on trying to be number one, that they don't have enough money to take care of their customers, hince why you have to pay 70 dollars for a light bulb socket that's the size of a dime. Audi's sell on average for $20,000 up to $60,000 more and blow domestics away on looks, power, performance and devoted followers will buy them forever. You get red carpet treatment, beautiful supple leather and the best interior, chrome and wood grain you can lay your eyes on and I'f your car is like my RS-6 then an additional 550HP ass stompin power to lay waste to America's plastic, disposable cars. It's really not a big deal, American made cars and service is just like the fast food industry for automobiles but then again the service you get at McDonald's is nothing like the service you get at McCormick and Schmick's. Luckily it's just my work truck.

Are you comparing a BMW to a cobalt? You can go buy a cadillac and wont complain one bit about looks inside or out, or performance. And as for cost of fixing, i have never, ever heard anyone say that it is even close in price to fix a bmw, audi, mercedes. and is that 20k-60k more really worth it?

As for your dealer experience, thats what it is. You have a crappy dealer apparently. My local dealer treats me well and has parts guys and a service manager that are always happy to help me out. Now i was at a larger dealer in a much larger city a couple weeks ago, and that parts guy didnt know s#$%, took forever to find something in his computer, and it turns out was looking at the part of some car, not the truck i told him i wanted it for.

It looks as though by the picture that your in the country or a small town. Service is usually always better in a small town compard to the big city, becuase small town people as a whole have much higher values, morals and all out respect than big city people. But Audi dealerships are in uge towns and the service is the same as in a small town, so it should be no different for GM. And yes it is worth it

if you like your audi so much why dont you go sell your gm whatever and go buy urself one.
oh yea my sierra truck has 140,000 miles,my ford ranger has 200,000 so go stick it up your hole.

"You get red carpet treatment, beautiful supple leather and the best interior, chrome and wood grain you can lay your eyes on"
funny i dont see any chrome other then the exsaust tip.i see more chrome on my bumpers and door trim then on the above car. Alot of people who work on their own stuff have the factory manuals for the vehicle and dont need some part guy to tell them how to turn a screw driver.wood grain?you accually think that is made from real wood?haha

"Why have a forum site if you can't even post more than 14 photos. Just another reason why imports will always blow domestics away (unlimited pics on Audi forums )."
well maybe because they use a different billboard software then the audi site.or have limitations on bandwidth.

"even though alot are special order from Germany, you get 'em in 3 days at no extra charge"
ive never had to pay extra for a special order part and most of them i get the next day or same day shipped from another dealer.oh yea and i get a discount because i know how to work the system.

My experience with Audi is that they have all parts because all parts on those cars break.

Ken

Actually your dead wrong, genius. Domestic's are disposible at 100,000 or at least they should be since they're not worth anything after that.

So you're saying my truck was disposable 54,000 miles before I bought it? I've got 167,000 miles, and the truck runs and drives great, but it was made in America, so I guess I should take it to the scrapyard, right?

Seriously dude, pull your head out of your @ss. Just because you like your Audi, doesn't mean you get to come here and talk $hit. This is a GM truck site. Most of us are here because we like our trucks. If you don't, sell it and move on.

It's gonna fun watching you get your a$$ bashed here.....I wouldn't expect much help from the guys here. We all kinda like our GM products.....

Well, the post was to show people how to change their ignition, I didn't need anyone's help, but evwybody got defensive and upset and started cwyin and had to try to make some valid point and defend GM. I don't care if you try and defend GM, just understand that sometimes you just need to sit down and shut up and understand that your not always gonna have the best of everything, no matter how much you wanna try and defend it. I'm not gonna say my car will come close to a McLaren F1. I know just not to go there. Gm will NEVER be able to compete with the likes of Audi, BMW or Mercedes, PERIOD, so just don't go there

if you like your audi so much why dont you go sell your gm whatever and go buy urself one.oh yea my sierra truck has 140,000 miles,my ford ranger has 200,000 so go stick it up your hole.

"Yah and they're worth $3,000 to maybe $8,000. mine is still worth $40,000. Don't get mad just make valid points "

"You get red carpet treatment, beautiful supple leather and the best interior, chrome and wood grain you can lay your eyes on"funny i dont see any chrome other then the exsaust tip.i see more chrome on my bumpers and door trim then on the above car.

Actually the mirrors are chrome, the upper and lower grill is chrome, the trunk lip is chrome, the tips are chrome, the lip surrounding the windows is chrome, oh yah heres an inside pic

Alot of people who work on their own stuff have the factory manuals for the vehicle and dont need some part guy to tell them how to turn a screw driver.wood grain?you accually think that is made from real wood?haha

"It is a thin veneer of real wood glued to a substrate. Then it is clearcoated. All audi wood trim has been real veneer wood. Everyone knows that, call your Audi dealer"

"Why have a forum site if you can't even post more than 14 photos. Just another reason why imports will always blow domestics away (unlimited pics on Audi forums )."well maybe because they use a different billboard software then the audi site.or have limitations on bandwidth.

"even though alot are special order from Germany, you get 'em in 3 days at no extra charge"ive never had to pay extra for a special order part and most of them i get the next day or same day shipped from another dealer.oh yea and i get a discount because i know how to work the system.